Control systems and methods

Abstract

The present disclosure provides systems for controlling movement of a table supporting an object. The system may include: a first control sub-system configured to generate a first control instruction; a second control sub-system configured to generate a second control instruction; a table control sub-system operably coupled to the table; and a master controller configured to receive the first control instruction from the first control sub-system, or the second control instruction from the second control sub-system, generate a third control instruction based on the first control instruction or the second control instruction, and transmit the third control instruction to the table control sub-system. The table control sub-system may be configured to generate a control signal based on the third control instruction, and cause the table to move based on the control signal.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A system for controlling movement of a table supporting an object, comprising:
 a first control sub-system configured to generate a first control instruction; 
 a second control sub-system configured to generate a second control instruction; 
 a table control sub-system operably coupled to the table; and 
 a master controller configured to 
 receive the first control instruction from the first control sub-system, or the second control instruction from the second control sub-system, 
 generate a third control instruction based on the first control instruction or the second control instruction, and 
 transmit the third control instruction to the table control sub-system, 
 wherein the table control sub-system is configured to 
 generate a control signal based on the third control instruction, and 
 cause the table to move based on the control signal, 
 wherein the first control sub-system is operably connected to the second control sub-system via a virtual table motion controller, 
 the virtual table motion controller is configured to relay the first control instruction from the first control sub-system to the second control sub-system; and 
 the second control sub-system is configured to relay the first control instruction to the master controller. 
 
     
     
       2. The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first control sub-system is further configured to transmit first clock synchronization information associated with the first control sub-system to the master controller; and 
 the master controller is further configured to update time information associated with the master controller according to the first clock synchronization information. 
 
     
     
       3. The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the second control sub-system is further configured to transmit second clock synchronization information associated with the second control sub-system to the master controller; and 
 the master controller is further configured to update time information associated with the master controller according to the second clock synchronization information. 
 
     
     
       4. The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the first control sub-system is operably coupled to a first device, 
 the second control sub-system is operably coupled to a second device, and 
 the table is configured to move between the first device and the second device. 
 
     
     
       5. The system of  claim 4 , wherein
 the first device is an imaging device, and the second device is a treatment device, or 
 the first device is an imaging device of a first modality, and the second device is an imaging device of a second modality, the first modality being different from the second modality. 
 
     
     
       6. The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first control sub-system and the master controller have a point-to-point connection. 
     
     
       7. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the point-to-point connection includes a peripheral component interconnect express (PCIE) connection. 
     
     
       8. The system of  claim 6 , wherein a latency time between the master controller and the first control sub-system is less than 10 microseconds. 
     
     
       9. The system of  claim 6 , wherein the table control sub-system is further configured to
 determine movement information of the table; and 
 transmit the movement information to the master controller. 
 
     
     
       10. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the master controller is further configured to
 transmit the movement information to the second control sub-system. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 9 , wherein the second control sub-system is further configured to
 determine whether the table is under a control of the first control sub-system; 
 in response to determining that the table is under the control of the first control sub-system, transmit the movement information to the first control sub-system via the point-to-point connection. 
 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 1 , wherein
 the master controller is a virtual master node, the first control sub-system is operably connected to the second control sub-system or the master controller via a virtual table motion controller.